What is Folk Music?

Folk music is music of the people. It is usually passed down by word of mouth, this means that people would teach one another by playing and listening to the music – this is called aural tradition. It would not have been written down in a book. Folk music is different to popular music in that the people who take part in folk music do not make their living through folk music, unlike many pop musicians.

Throughout the world there are many different folk music traditions, and some of them are linked. For example, many American songs are from the same countries that the peoples of America are from. For example, Britain and parts of Africa. Some folk music has been used in other styles, classical composers have used folk melodies for their pieces, and some pop stars have sung folk melodies as well as other popular music styles.

Questions:                                                        

• What is Folk Music?

• What is aural tradition?

• Give one difference between popular music and folk music.

• Why is some American folk music linked to British folk music?

• How are Folk music and Classical music linked?

• Click on the songs below to see the lyrics and the music.

Drunken Sailor     British Grenadiers      O Waly Waly     English Country Garden   Greensleeves

What shall we do with the Drunken Sailor

1. Sling him in the long boat till he's sober,
2. Keep him there and make 'im bale 'er.
3. Pull out the plug and wet him all over,
4. Take 'im and shake 'im, try an' wake 'im.
5. Trice him up in a runnin' bowline.
6. Give 'im a taste of the bosun's rope-end.
7. Give 'im a dose of salt and water.
8. Stick on 'is back a mustard plaster.
9. Shave his belly with a rusty razor.
10. Send him up the crow's nest till he falls down,
11. Tie him to the taffrail when she's yardarm under,
12. Put him in the scuppers with a hose-pipe on him.
13. Soak 'im in oil till he sprouts flippers.
14. Put him in the guard room till he's sober.
15. Put him in bed with the captain's daughter.
16. Take the Baby and call it Bo'sun.
17. Turn him over and drive him windward.
18. Put him in the scuffs until the horse bites on him.
19. Heave him by the leg and with a rung console him.
20. That's what we'll do with the drunken sailor.

What shall we do with the Drunken Sailor? – Melody

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The British Grenadier

Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules,
Of Hector and Lysander, and some of Meltiades.
But of all the world's brave heros, there's none that can compare
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers

Now none of these ancient heros ever saw a cannon ball
Or knew the force of powder to slay their foes withal,
But our brave boys do now them and banish all their fears
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers

Whenever we are commanded to storm the palisades
Our leaders march with fusils and we with hand grenades
We hurl them from the glacis, about our enemies' ears
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers

Now let us crown a bumper and drink a health to those,
Who carry caps and pouches and wear the loup'ed clothes
May they and their commanders live happy all their years
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers

The British Grenadiers - Melody

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O Waly Waly

The water is wide, I cannot get o'er
And neither have I wings to fly.
O go and get me some little boat,
To carry o'er my true love and I.

Where love is planted, O there it grows,
It buds and blossoms like some rose;
It has a sweet and pleasant smell,
No flow'r on earth can it excel.

I lean'd my back up against some oak,
Thinking it was a trusty tree.
But first he bended then he broke,
So did my love prove false to me.

There is a ship sailing on the sea,
She's loaded deep as deep can be,
But not so deep as in love I am;
I care not if I sink or swim.

O love is handsome and love is fine,
And love is charming when it is true;
As it grows older it groweth colder
And fades away like the morning dew.

O Waly Waly – melody

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English Country Garden

How many songbirds fly to and fro
In an English country garden?
We'll tell you now of some that we know
Those we miss you'll surely pardon
Bobolink, cuckoo and quail
Tanager and cardinal
Bluebird, lark, thrush and nightingale
There is joy in the spring
When the birds begin to sing
In an English country garden

English Country Garden – melody

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Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

Chorus:

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

Chorus

Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

Chorus

Greensleeves – melody

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